Mission Statement

Adele Seronde. Adele is the founder and President Emeritus of Gardens for Humanity.  A visionary, poet and painter, Adele’s passion for life and people directed her to bring some art form to each garden we’ve created.

Richard Sidy, M. Ed., President, has lived and gardened in Sedona since 1982. He is an educator, writer and community activist. Richard served in the Peace Corps in rural community development from 1969 – 1971 in the West African nation of the Ivory Coast. He worked in the Los Angeles City Volunteer Corps establishing community gardens and food co-ops. Richard advocates sustainable education through writing and building community collaboration around the issues of food security, local economic development, and environmental education.

Ruth Hartung, Vice-President, is co-founder and director of 7 Centers Yoga Arts in Sedona, Arizona and a teacher of yoga for 18 years.  She as served as President of the International Yoga College founded by Rama Jyoti Vernon.  Ruth was instrumental in starting Gardens for Humanity's annual Spring Planting Festival, which raises awareness about local food and sustainability.

Jan Wind, Treasurer, earned her B.S. in Limnology and a B.A. in Accounting from the University of Central Florida.  Seeking to mend the planet and all beings through the binding of hearts, minds and spirits she created her business, Sedona Earth and Wind LLC.

Rose Marie Licher, a Sedona resident for the past twenty seven years, is a founding board member of Gardens for Humanity and Treasurer Emeritus.  Though raised in the city (Wichita, Kansas), summers on her grandparents farm helped her appreciate farming and the natural world. She earned a B.S. from Oklahoma University and her Master’s from MIT.

Chris Anderson specializes in Permaculture Design and Rainwater Catchment Systems.  He is Vice President of Eden on Earth, LLC, an ecological landscaping company creating abundant and edible landscapes.  Chris co-created a mobile environmental education program for school children in Appalachian Ohio where he was raised.

Debra Emmanuelle is currently the Executive Director of the Verde Food Council in the Verde Valley of Northern Arizona, where she combines her passion for education, spiritual wisdom, nature and community. Before moving to Sedona in 2008, she taught both public and private schools as well as adult education and community education classes in Maine. Between 1984 and 2006, she co-founded and co-facilitated a nursery school, a healing center and a spiritual retreat center.

Alex Rovang has been the Director of Education and Community Outreach for the last two years at Sedona Recycles teaching schools and other community organizations to reduce waste, recycle and become more sustainable.  A Master Gardener, he has worked with people of all ages to educate about subjects ranging from gardening to composting. He is also an artist and owner of Seven Elements Studios and ties art and style into all pursuits and activities.

Cyndie Koopsen has been a registered nurse for over 30 years, and is Co-CEO of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, a continuing education company focusing on holistic/integrative health. Cyndie has been a nurse executive, consultant, educator, and author, and has written courses and textbook chapters on healing environments. Having traveled to dozens of countries on wildlife expeditions, Cyndie is passionate about gardens, the environment, wild places, and supporting the health of people and the planet.

Jerry Honawa, a Hopi Village Elder from Hotevilla, Arizona, is the Clan Patriarch of the Rabbit-Tobacco Clan and has also served as Cultural Advisor and Administrative Consultant for Black Mesa Trust in Kykotsmovi, Arizona.

Juliet Stone is Director of Programs of the Boston Schoolyard Initiative. This pre-K through high school program has improved over seventy schoolyards across Boston’s many diverse neighborhoods.  Julie organizes and helps maintain the award winning Christian Herter Garden along the Charles River and has been a Gardens for Humanity board member since.

 

To accomplish our goals we have three committees: Public Gardens, Education, and Agricultural Renaissance. These committees are responsible for initiating projects in the community and bringing together resources to develop gardens of beauty, food production and sustainable environmental practices.

Read our inspiring story about past projects, our awards, and our vision.

Find out more about our current events and news.